


A Bedtime Story

by apeurodo



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2019-01-08 18:55:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12260142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apeurodo/pseuds/apeurodo
Summary: Being an uncreative person that he is, Yifan ends up telling his children his past as a bedtime story.





	A Bedtime Story

**Author's Note:**

> #PROMPT 15 
> 
> Dear prompter, I really hope you like this even though I added so many things on your prompt.I also apologize for not writing smut because I really cannot do it. Dear awesome mods, thank you so much for being patient with me and my don't-really-check-my-emails self. This is also my first time with fic fest and all so I apologize for all the madness I've caused. And for readers, I hope you'll enjoy this.

Yifan sits down very close to the front of the huge fireplace after rubbing his hands clean on his pants. Belatedly, he realizes he will be scolded by his husband because this week is his turn to do laundry and pants dirtied by ashes is extra work. Yifan adds in his mental note to wash his pants by himself tomorrow. 

Yifan stares at the fire for quite a long time while listening to the sound of flapping wide wing up on the sky outside. He stiffens when he hears them up above his house. He scoots closer to the fireplace, almost sitting inside the fireplace beside the fire. Carefully, he arranges himself to not touch the fire but still very near it. Fire will not hurt him but it still will burn him, especially when he is assuming this form of mortal human. 

Their speed is steady, does not falter even when they pass above his roof. Yifan breathes out a relief, that means they doesn’t see the fire inside him or they does see but dismissing it as a part of fire from the fireplace. They use heat sight while patrolling around, with unusual kind of heat as their targets. Eight years of avoiding these people have taught Yifan to find ordinary fire –like the fire in the fireplace—and tries to blend in when the fire inside him decides to act up. 

When the patrol is out of his hearing range, he gets up, silently grateful that he escapes another patrol again. He is about to put out the fire when he hears the sound of muted steps from little feet meeting carpeted floor. He turns around in time with his youngest sleepily enters the room. His older brother following closely behind, face sheepish as if he is caught breaking something. Yifan decides to let the fire be. His sons don't have the fire inside them like Yifan. They’ll need the fire to stay warm. 

“What are you two doing out of bed at this hour?” 

Shixun, the youngest, doesn’t bother to reply. He just raises his hand at Yifan, asking to be held. 

“Shixun said he can’t sleep. So I bring him to you.” Jongdae, the older son answers. “Well, thank you Jongdae. I got him. Do you want me to take you back to bed?” Yifan offers. 

“No! I want to stay with you and Shixun!” Jongdae shakes his head. He looks wide awake, bringing him back to bed will not make him sleep anyway. So Yifan takes his son’s hand with his free hand and guides him to the front of the fireplace. With Jongdae’s help, he takes the blanket from the sofa and spreads it on the floor. His husband will not be impressed. 

When they are seated, Shixun refuses to leave his lap while Jongdae sits on his stomach, head propped by his intertwined hands. “So, what makes Shixun cannot sleep?” Yifan asks but his son just shakes his head and buries it in Yifan’s chest. Again, Jongdae answers for him. “Appa forget reading Shixun bedtime stories.” 

Ah, Shixun and bedtime stories are inseparable. He always needs it before sleep. Yifan got home when the kids just fall asleep and his husband was in hurry to leave for a meeting. With the important meeting on his head, Yifan will not be surprised if his husband forgets other things. 

“Then do you want me to read you stories? How about Three little pigs?” 

“No!” Jongdae is the one who protested. “You are bad at reading stories, Dad. You can’t do the wolf voice. It always sounds the same with the pigs voice.” Yifan’s pride is slightly hurt but he knows Jongdae is right. Blame his husband who is so perfect at narrating stories, a total opposite of Yifan who reads bedtime stories like reading a newspaper. 

“Fine. How about the fire dragon who looks for the cure?” 

That story is totally uncreative. One day, three years old Jongdae was sick in fever and fussy. He wants Yifan to read him stories but not from the book. Being the man with zero creativity inside him, Yifan decides to tell him his past. With no gory details and no details on who’s actually who. It turns into Jongdae’s favorite story and after Shixun is old enough to understand words, it becomes his favorite too. 

“Yes! Yes!” Shixun agrees excitedly. But Yifan is met with Jongdae’s unsatisfied pout. “It’s boring, Dad!” Shixun looks at his brother before also voiced the same sentiment. “Boring! Boring!” 

“Tell us what happens after the dragon gets the cure! Is all his family safe?” 

Yifan contemplates whether he can tell them what happens next or not. Being a fool for his son –and has no creativity to create a new story--, he knows he will give in anyway. 

“Okay then.” Shixun and Jongdae shifted themselves, finding a comfortable position to listen to their father. “So, remember what happened after the dragon got the cure inside a shiny diamond?” 

“He beat the soldiers that chased him! then He flies with the diamond! Back to the Fire Dragon city!” Yifan chuckles. Fire Dragon is never a city, it’s his home. But he can’t tell them that. No, not yet. “Yes, but when he flies, he realizes he is hurt. One of the soldiers has managed to hurt him..”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

The pain was cursing throughout his body.

He enjoyed heat, it was something given as he was a part of Fire Clan. But this kind of heat was new. It burned. It was scorching all of his body. He could feel it clawing out of his chest, slowly spread out to his extremities.  
He screamed, or he thought he screamed because he couldn’t hear himself at all. In fact he couldn’t hear, he couldn’t see, it was all dark, and red, and too hot.

He started to feel scared now. What was happening to him? Why couldn’t he open his eyes? What did the Water clan do to him? What kind of new torture is this?

He could hear someone calling his name, at first it was only a whisper, then slowly getting louder.

And then he realized, the voice belonged to his mother. His mother was crying out to him with her last breath as she succumbed to the illness. He turned left and right, but the voice was still there in his ears. He cried louder so he could drown her mother’s cry. It didn’t work at all. He was practically sobbing right now. Was he going to die? Why did they have to make it so painful?

His cry turned into dry sobs when a cool breeze passed by his arms. He moved to the direction where the breeze came from but met nothing. Until suddenly, the coolness was spreading from his arm slowly to his entire body, battling the painful heat from his chest. He was enveloped by the coolness and he breathed out a sigh of relief. 

Then another voice came. This time it was someone singing. He flinched, getting ready for the voice to turn into an ugly painful cry. It didn’t, it stayed soothing along with the coolness. He couldn’t even hear his mother now, only the sounds of himself and the humming. Was it the real death now? He once heard his teacher said that death was peaceful, painless, and calming. 

_Dont be afraid,_ the voice says.

His eyes were now heavy. The struggle against the pain has sucked all his strength dry. 

_You're safe. You'll be okay._

_Everything is going to be alright._

The voice reminded him of home, his everything. Would it be okay now that he was dead like every other warrior before him? He was failing his home, his family. He was the Prince of The Fire Clan, the last hope to bring back the cure to his people. He was the only hope they got in this plague that seemed endless. He could remember when he saw his family, one by one meet their end on the sickbed and Yifan couldn’t stop that now. 

With that thought, he went back to sleep with tears in his eyes.

====

When Yifan was fully awake. He felt weak and some parts of his body were still numb by pain. He winced when he tried to stand up and falling, collapsing to the ground with a loud thud. The sound and the tremor he felt on the ground made him realize he was still in his dragon form.

He began to spread his wings, trying to help himself stand up from where he was lying down. But it only resulted in great pain that traveled from his wings to all of his body. He roared in pain the same time someone cried from away. 

“NO ! NO! Don’t do that you stupid dragon!” 

A young man was running into him. Yifan instinctively took a deep breath, ready to breathe out fire in case the man tried to harm him. But as the man got closer, all Yifan could puff out is warm air. Yifan frowned in confusion and looked at the man who stopped dead on his track. 

“Well, that’s interesting. You lost your ability to breathe fire too?” The man tilted his head, thinking before shrugging. “Well, it will be easier for me, then..” 

Realizing he was helpless now with his inability to move without hurting, Yifan could only make a sound of disapproval when the man disappeared from his vision, making his way to Yifan’s wings that draped pathetically on the ground. Yifan growled in warning when he felt his wings were being touched. The growl turned into whine when he felt the pain in his wings again. 

“Stop being a baby!” The man said. “I’m just checking how bad your wing is now that you’ve torn it again with the wing flap.” 

Yifan felt the bandage was being unwrapped from several wounds on his wing. He winced all the time while the man started his work with Yifan’s back. He was still wary but couldn’t help feeling relaxed when cold replace the hot burn of his wounds. The man chuckled when Yifan accidentally let out a comfortable sigh. 

As the man healed his back, Yifan looked around, taking in his surroundings. He was in the middle of a clearing, probably on the top of the hill because he felt the breeze of a highland. He could see trees all around. Some of the trees tops were missing, broken. The closer the trees got to the middle of the clearing, the more of them were falling down. Yifan was quite sure he was the cause of the havoc. Probably when he landed face first on the ground. 

“So, how are you feeling now? You’ve been here for three nights.” The man said as he walked to where Yifan’s vision. Yifan growled again, but the man just laughs. “Don’t try to scare me, dragon. I’m not afraid of you. I know much about dragons, you see. How they are so scary but also delicate. And don’t be afraid of me? Don’t you see I just helped you?” 

Yifan just blinked his big eye. The man seemed like a good man though. With clear shining eyes and soft lips smiling that turned into a small pout when he didn’t smile and those peachy cheeks Yifan wants to pinch.

Yifan shook his head. _Remember to never judge someone from his look, Yifan!_

“Now, you’ve been unconscious for days. You must be parched. Come with me to the lake! I think you’re going to inhale the whole lake.” The man laughed at his own joke then began making his way to the lake. Only to turn back again when realizing the dragon didn’t follow him. “What? why? Oh, right..” He jogged back to Yifan. “You still feel weak, right? How about changing into human? Then I can take you to the lake on my back!” Yifan even hasn't thought of an answer when the man slapped his forehead. “Oh! Right! You can’t change back into human! Dragons should turn into human when they are so badly injured so they can recuperate faster, but these three days, you don’t even change your tail!” The man informed him

The human form was a lot smaller than a dragon form, so healing will be easier and faster. Yifan is not really shocked to hear the news. He should’ve guessed when he was awoke in this form. Yifan noted how the man had such knowledge on dragons. Only people of Fire Clan had this information. Was he from his clan? But he was too pale to be someone from his clan where almost everyone had darker skin tones after years flying under the sun. This man, he looked like he only got under the sun a couple minutes a day. He also had jet black hair, something that was extremely rare in his clan where everyone has light colored hair. 

“Okay then. Just wait here. I’ll bring you some water.” The man said before running away. “Don’t flap your wings again!” He cried while running and Yifan couldn’t help chuckling, or grunting happily because he was in his dragon form, over the man’s adorableness. 

Yifan didn’t wait for long before the man was back, pushing a cart with two very big and wide wooden buckets on it. Seeing the sight of clear water on the buckets made him more parched. The man stops in the front of him and unloaded his cart. “Have a drink, almighty dragon. Let’s heal you back and then you can fly again.” 

Yifan chugged the water happily. He thought he could finish them all in one gulp. But there was so much water he couldn’t finish it immediately. 

Then he stops and realized something. 

The bucket was too big and wide and there were two of them. These would usually take more than ten minutes to fill. But the man, he came back very quickly. Not even ten minutes. 

Yifan stared at the man who was sitting on the ground, watching Yifan drink contently. Yifan should’ve noticed it immediately. Pale skin, dark hair... he was a member of water clan. He was an enemy. 

The thought somehow put strength back in Yifan and he leaped to the man, ready to attack.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

“Bad dragon!’ Yifan hears Shixun mumbling. “Bad dragon?” Yifan asks in confusion. “Dragon doesn’t say thank you. Appa says if someone help us we have to say thank you.” Lectures Shixun. Jongdae nods fastly in agreement. “Yeah well, he is a little stupid dragon....” 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The man quickly jumped back and conjured water from the bucket, creating a wall between them to at least slow Yifan down. 

“Wait! Stop!” The man said but Yifan doesn’t hear him, blinded by panic and anger. 

The man frowned, then he screams “IM REALLY SORRY!” 

Yifan was too late to realize the man knew his wound, his weak point. He suddenly fell down, pain from his wings was now decapitating. Lying on the ground, he roared in pain for a while. When he came to, he looked up at the man. The man was biting his nails in.. worry? What? Was that really worry in his eyes? sadness and guilt? 

“I’m really sorry!” The man cried again, now with tears in his eyes. “I have to do it or you’re going to eat me. I don’t want you to eat me..” He whispered. “I.. look, my name is Junmyeon. I.. I can control water, yes. But I’m not... I’m not a water clan.” 

Yifan scoffed. What a lie. 

“No! Really! I know it sounds unbelievable but I.. I’ve been living here in this forest since I am a baby. My father, he.. he never told me I can control water.” 

Yifan was on the ground, weak and helpless yet he still trying to muster his best glare to Junmyeon. “It’s true! Why don’t you believe me!” Junmyeon cried. When Yifan still looked at him like he would kill him any minute, Junmyeon decided to move quite far from the seething dragon. He then flopped his butt on the ground and sit there. 

The whole day was spent with the two looking at each other. The dragon with a glare that ready to kill, while the human in desperation for the dragon to believe him. Yifan didn’t know why the human is so persistent but he was quite sure the man was dangerous. 

Or not that dangerous. 

They had seated for a long time and several times Junmyeon had been dozing off to sleep. If he was not aware of Junmyeon’s origin, Yifan would probably laughed and tucked him to sleep because he was _that_ adorable. He wondered though why Junmyeon could fall asleep knowing something that could kill him was still in front of him. just a leap and he will be done for. Yet, Junmyeon was simply too.. trusting. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

“Because Junmyeon is a good person. He likes to help people that need help.” Jongdae said before asking. “Did the dragon eat him, Dad?” 

Yifan shakes his head. Junmyeon is always a good person, nevermind where he came from, or who he actually was. 

“The dragon then gave up and let Junmyeon healed him back. The dragon realized Junmyeon really wanted to help him. Junmyeon also taught the Dragon, that despite they both came from clans that had been fighting for years, they didn’t have to fight. They helped each other, they learned about each other. They could befriend each other.” They could love each other so much, they could be a lover. Yifan added in his mind. 

“Do they become friends forever?” Jongdae asks again. This time, before Yifan managed to utter an answer, he felt Shixun’s head lolling of his shoulder. The baby is already sleeping. “Your brother is already sleeping. That means my story is good, right?” He asked Jongdae. “Well, you are the best if you are telling the story about dragon.” 

Yifan chuckles, he agrees with that. “Now, let's get you guys back to bed.” 

They go to the kids' bedroom and Yifan put Shixun on his bed while Jongdae gets on his bed by himself. After tucking Shixun in, he turns to Jongdae and drapes the blanket up to his chin. He kisses his forehead. “But Dad, do the dragon and Junmyeon become best friend forever?” 

Yifan hesitates. Should he tell him the truth? He finally resorts in, “They become best friend and have a good time while they are together.”  
Jongdae seems satisfied with the answer and closes his eyes. Yifan smiles and returns to the blanket on the floor.  
_It’s not always a good time when him and Junmyeon together back then_  


\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been weeks since Yifan landed on the ground near Junmyeon’s cabin. And it had been weeks since he was in this dragon form always. Unable to change back into human. His wings were still wounded and practically useless. Yifan had been frustrated since he couldn’t go home. Trekking down the mountains in dragon form would be impossible, he would be immediately caught. Junmyeon said there are posts of Water Clan guard here and there in the mountains and they were definitely not on the same page with Junmyeon in a relationship with another clan. 

Speaking of Junmyeon, he was the person who had been keeping him sane. Yifan couldn’t believe that once there was a time when he hated Junmyeon so much as he was a part of Water Clan. Now, he realized how stupid he was. Junmyeon was the nicest person on earth. Junmyeon had been nursing him back to health, even though he couldn’t heal his wings, that one was too hard for his self-learn healing with water ability. Junmyeon has been very caring, making sure Yifan had eaten his food, had his wound cleaned, tolerated Yifan’s tantrum when he was frustrated with his condition, and talked enough for two people as Yifan was unable to talk in this form. In just a week, Yifan saw a friend in Junmyeon that he never saw in anyone. Three weeks and Yifan was sure he liked Junmyeon, more than anyone, more than just liking as a friend. But no, of course, he cannot entertain the thought, he cannot let the feelings grow. They were from different clans. Different clans that have been in war for so long they didn’t even remember why it happened. 

Right now, Yifan was resting his big head on Junmyeon’s lap as the two of them stared at the fire. He had grumbled deep from his chest, asking Junmyeon to rub his head and Junmyeon smiled before doing so. They just had a conversation about the diamond cure that Junmyeon correctly noticed. Junmyeon told him that the diamond could heal almost everything. He also had guessed the diamond cure was the reason of Yifan’s quest to save his family. His knowledge of the cure was probably because Junmyeon also had one diamond cure. It was blue, unlike Yifan’s red, and Junmyeon had been keeping it for a special occasion. He gave Yifan the secret pocket he used to keep the diamond. “You’ll lose it if you keep clutching it.” Junmyeon told him as he place the pocket on Yifan’s top neck so it will be hidden among his scales. 

They were snuggling comfortably with each other until Junmyeon suddenly spoke. “I think, I haven’t been very honest to you, Yifan.”  
Yifan opened one of his eyes and stared at Junmyeon curiously. They had been sharing lots of stories about themselves these past weeks. Well, more like Junmyeon telling him things and exchange of guessing and Yifan’s nod or shake because Yifan couldn’t talk. 

“My father was the Leader of The Water Clan.”

Yifan stiffens. Should he be worried? 

“ even though I was his son, my mother was the servant. When he knows my mother was pregnant, he built her a cabin and sent her here. Back then this was your clan’s land. My father, he didn’t care whether my mother will make it or not..”

Yifan nuzzled at Junmyeon’s stomach, trying to comfort him. 

“I have been living here since I was born. Mother planned to leave after I was a toddler, but then my ability with water starts to manifest and Mother decided to stay to protect me from my father.” 

“We don’t know why, but suddenly he came back. One look at he knew about my ability. He said I might be not a water dragon like other royals, but I can control water so I am useful, and just like that he dragged me back to the Main City, made me train but I was stubborn to not learn. The Master didn’t saw much improvement and deemed me useless. So I ran to go back here. They didn’t look for me, maybe because the Master tell him I’m bad.” 

“When I was home, my mother was very ill. I tried to heal her and that was when I regretted not learning much about healing. One day, after coming back from hunting on the forest, My mother.. she was gone.” 

A droplet of tears fell down from Junmyeon’s eyes. Yifan got up and circled his body around Junmyeon, trying to comfort him while he was crying.  
“I just.. I hate him so much. He takes everything that I love.” 

Yifan nuzzled his nose on Junmyeon’s head, trying to comfort him. 

Junmyeon gazed at Yifan and smiled at him. “I’m thankful you’re here. I’ve been so lonely...” 

If Yifan could turn into human right now, he would say. _Thank you for helping me, too. I...._ like you? Love you? Looking forward to spending more time with you? 

Yifan honestly didn’t know. All he knew was that he liked, _loved_ being around Junmyeon, he loved seeing his shining eyes all day long, and he loves seeing him smile. So Yifan blew some warm air to Junmyeon’s neck, tickling him. He laughed and hugged Yifan’s head. “I’m so, so, thankful. I want to stay with you, Yifan. I really want to..” 

Yifan could feel his heart swelling with pride, happiness, and love.

====

The next morning was chilling to his bones. Even the heat from the fire inside him was useless. He was pretty sure his teeth was chattering. He stood up, trying to stretch his muscles, before realizing something was wrong.

Junmyeon was not in the place where he slept last night and each of his feet was shackled with iron cuffs. Suddenly, Water Clan soldiers entered the clearing from the forest with spears ready. 

He roared, alerting Junmyeon wherever he was as he tried to unbuckle the bounds on his feet. As they came closer, Yifan roared louder, hoping Junmyeon had heard him now and already fled somewhere. More of them keep pouring in from the forest. Knowing he was surrounded, he stopped trying and stayed still. If he had to meet his demise right now, at least he would meet it with dignity. 

Yifan observed the incoming soldiers. They entering in layers. The earlier they came, the less dangerous the weapons are. Even though Yifan knew spear would also hurt too. 

He expected those who are weaponless came last, and he was not wrong. The last throng of soldiers that came out was the shortest in number. They came barehanded, their weapon was their ability to control water. Yifan could see some of them had ice on their chest. While dragon from Fire Clan lived with the fire burning in them, dragons from Water Clan had the opposite on them, ice. That’s why they were ruthless killers, they method was just like spreading ice, silent, cold and sudden. 

Yifan expected those people to be the last, but of course, he was wrong. Five people entered with most intricate uniform design than others. The leaders, probably. The sight of the older man among them confirmed Yifan’s thought. As much as Yifan hated it, he could see a bit of Junmyeon in this man.  
But the sight of the man behind Junmyeon’s father turned his world upside down. 

He didn’t dress in the uniform like others. He was dressed in civilian clothes. He was dressed in clothes Yifan had been seeing several times a week. The man stared coldly forward. He didn’t even pass him a glance, and Yifan could see his eyes were dimmer than usual. 

“Well, you might be not a dragon or great warrior, but you definitely could put that face to use.” The leader said to his son. 

Junmyeon didn’t flinch or even blinked. He just stared ahead. “And from all dragons you could possibly catch, a dragon from Fire Clan! Their prince! You are more than just a bastard son I think you are.”

It was all the feelings that hit him at once. Anger, panic, disbelief, betrayal, all struck him. Inciting fire that came out as he opened his mouth and stood on his two hind legs. Some soldiers scrambled, but the ones barehanded stayed calm. Two of them raised his hand and the burning fire on the ground was put off in seconds.  
“Careful, dragon. You don’t want us to bound your mouth too, don’t you?” 

He roared at Junmyeon’s direction. Screaming his heart out. Had the past few weeks meant nothing to him? All the thank you, all the happiness, were they fake? 

Junmyeon did not move even a bit. 

“Let’s get this done. Three of you..” The leader jerked his chin to three Water manipulator near him. “Kill the beast.” 

“No.” Junmyeon let out a sound for the first time. “I’ll do it.” 

His father was frowning in disapproval, but Junmyeon already moved forward. He still looked forward, hands taking the dagger hold by one of the soldiers without looking. “I’ve spent a long time with him. I know his weaknesses. I’ll make his death neater than what you would do.” 

Junmyeon’s voice was cold, calculated. Not like the usual warmful voice he used to talk with Yifan. 

Once he reached Yifan, Junmyeon still did not spare him a glance. Yifan was still trying to digest everything. Every lie, every pain, every anger. He squirmed when 

Junmyeon was grabbing one of his scales, trying to climb up. Of course, by weaknesses, Junmyeon would mean the unhealed wound on his wings. But Junmyeon was strong and agile, try as he might but Junmyeon wouldn’t fall. Yifan knew it was partly because of him, he couldn’t let Junmyeon fell. Still, even if he was angry and all, he didn’t know this feeling that wanted to keep Junmyeon happy and alive. 

Yifan felt him swept his hand on the hidden pocket on the juncture of his neck and back. Until the last minute, Junmyeon had to rob him blind from his diamond, his trust, his love. 

He heard the sound as Junmyeon raised his arm, ready to stab the dagger through his wound. Yifan closed his eyes. He was sad, he was angry, but he couldn’t find it on him to regret everything. He heard the sound of air as Junmyeon swing his hand with dagger onto his wound. 

The pain was unbearable that he collapsed to the ground. 

And the pain that came next, from the second stab Junmyeon made, it blinded him. White flashes in his eyes and he knew it was the end for him.

====

When Yifan opened his eyes, he was met with the familiar draperies on his room. His mind was foggy, but he knew he was in his old room in the castle of the Fire Clan. Well, they did say that heaven was comfortable and he was always the most comfortable in his room.

He looked to his right and saw a glass of water on the side table. He reached for it but his hand was too weak to grasp and the glass fell onto the floor. The sound of glass shattering was so loud yet it made him regained his sense. He realized he moved his hand, which meant he was not in dragon form anymore and he was hurt all over. Why would there be a pain in heaven? 

“Yifan! My son!” 

It was his uncle, the current king. He entered the room hurriedly, his attendants behind him. “How are you feeling, my boy?” He didn’t know why, but he immediately remembered his mission, his failed mission. “I failed, uncle. The cure was on my hand and then..” “My son I think you are still dreaming...” His uncle cut him off. “Are you sure you are really awake?” he then looked at one of the healers. “Can you make sure he didn’t hit his head or something?”  
When the healer was busy with him, his uncle pointed at his side table. “You brought the cure back home, Yifan. You made it.” There, on the side table was a diamond cure and it was blue colored. 

His diamond cure was not blue. 

“We took the cure out already. As we talk, more people affected with this unspeakable disease are healing.” Yifan still stared at the diamond, this definitely not belonged to him. “We found you on the river, floating. It was raining hard yet you were floating so calmly to the side so it was easy for us to get you out..”  
Why would Junmyeon give him his diamond? Junmyeon said he was saving it for a special occasion, which Yifan could guess when he met his ailing mother. And it was obvious as the day!

Junmyeon did not kill him. 

The thought that Junmyeon did not kill him, meant he did not betray him, that those weeks had been the truth, had been fuelling Yifan with eagerness to heal. He swore he would look for Junmyeon after he was healthy. He wondered if Junmyeon was alright. He defied his father and Yifan had this fear that his father would do something bad to Junmyeon. But no, Junmyeon was smart. He probably had been running somewhere. Not where his father still held power, not to Fire Clan, because that would be suicidal move. 

There was only one place safe from the battling clans and Yifan would go there still even if it means regarded as a betrayer by his clan. 

The human realm. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

And the human realm is where he is right now. It has been eight years away from his home, trying to blend in so that he won’t be caught. It is a hard work, but he managed. It was very peaceful at the beginning. Then the dragons started to silently creep into the human realm, claiming to look for escaping and defected dragons –which Yifan sure it meant, him--. They only come at night still enough to creep Yifan out. So he tries to adapt more. Getting married and adopting sons is not in the plan of blending in, but he already has the groom and the money from selling the diamond, so why not? Ever since then, hiding in human realm is somehow a lot easier. Except for days like these, when he has been leaving his dragon form for so long so some of his dragon abilities begin to put him in a hassle when the dragons are patrolling. 

The sound of someone entering the code to get into his house makes him stand up. It must be his husband comes home, he always arrives home at this hour from his meetings.

Familiar eyes greeted him when he goes to the foyer. “Baekhyun," 

“Yifan!” Baekhyun said excitedly as he hugs Yifan. “I thought you are sleeping. You usually are. So I don’t ring the bell.” 

“It’s okay. The kids having trouble sleeping and well..” Yifan gestures at his dirty pants. Baekhyun chuckles. “Well you should go to the meeting sometimes, you know. Letting the dragon out. You won’t have to do that so often.” 

“I’ll think about it.” Yifan answers as he helps Baekhyun with the bags he brings. “Thank you. Please put these two in the kitchen, it's for breakfast.” Baekhyun gestures at the two heavy bag. “this is yours too..” Baekhyun gives him another bag. “And.. your sleepy husband.” This time, Yifan has to peek outside his door to see Junmyeon leaning his head on the wall, half asleep. 

“Welp. Thanks, Baek.” Yifan puts them back in the foyer and goes to carry his husband. “You’ve always been helpful ever since we first settled in, here..” Baekhyun shakes his head. “Don’t mind it. Always glad to help stranded in love dragons and I also got a new best friend.” 

Baekhyun leaves soon as Yifan brings his sleeping husband in, tucks him inside the blanket, leaves to retrieve the bags on the foyer. He is putting the food in the refrigerator when suddenly something cold makes its place on Yifan’s torso. Yifan looks behind him before smiling while his hand keeps working. “Why are you not wearing a shirt?” Yifan asks. “Cold. My shirt is cold, the blanket is cold, you are warm.” Junmyeon says, burying his head on Yifan’s back. Junmyeon is indeed colder than usual, but it's nothing his extra body heat cannot beat. So after he finishes, they cuddle on their bed. Yifan has taken off his clothes, sharing more direct body heat. 

“Did you have fun at meeting today?” Yifan begins when he sees Junmyeon has his eyes open. “Baekhyun taught me how to change form. I don’t like him. can you just be the one who teaches me instead?” After so long, it turns out Junmyeon’s dragon has been sleeping and now it is waking up. Junmyeon, who despises all things cold, is struggling with lowering body temperature that every Water Dragon has. It has become Yifan’s duty to warm him up. It has become Yifan’s duty to warm him up with numerous cuddle sessions. 

Junmyeon throws his leg across Yifan’s, in response, Yifan hugs him tighter. “Did the kids wake up? I forgot to read Shixun a story.” Yifan tells him about his bedtime story and Junmyeon laughed when Shixun said the dragon is bad for attacking him. “Well, who could blame the dragon? I will be very scared too if I were him. and wasn’t the instinct is proven true at the end? I end up hurting the dragon...” Junmyeon nuzzled his neck in apology. Years have passed since Junmyeon supposedly killed him and Yifan has acknowledged it is necessary to save them from the situation. “I was so lucky that you had the diamond. If you didn’t, I couldn’t be able to heal you after..” Junmyeon told him that he stabbed the diamond on the first time so that the cure was trickling out of the diamond when Junmyeon hurt him again, that had been the thing that saved him. 

Yifan leaned his head on Junmyeon’s hair. “Let’s just forget it, okay. You did it to save us from your father, and look where it brings us now. We are together and happy, along with Jongdae and Shixun.” 

“How will we tell them later that their parents are actually fugitive from their Clans? Do you think they’ll hate us?” 

Yifan wants to say no, but time has taught him that there is nothing he can predict. So he just wound his arms tighter around Junmyeon. “Let’s worry about it when the time comes. Now, let’s sleep.”

**Author's Note:**

> You make it till the end! Congratulations and thank you for reading.


End file.
